John s



(No Model.)

J. S. SMITH.

ART OF. MAKING TILES, 630.

N0. 29 5,298. Patented Mar. 18, 1884.

WITNESSES 11v VENTOE ywwwz 4,4 fism UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN S. SMITH, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF OlYEd-IALF TO THEADORE G. BENNETT, 'OF SAME PLACE.

ART OF MAKING TILE, 8w.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of LettersPatent No. 295,298, dated March 18, 1884.

Application filed January 28,1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it' known that I, JorIN S. SMITH, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Art of Making Tile, Pipe, 810., from Clay; and the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, by which persons skilled in the art may work or operate the same.

In operating in clay for the manufacture of tiles, pipes, or bricks, the clay, when dug from the earth, is first tempered to bring it into the proper condition as to moisture for working, it being necessary that it shall be sufficiently moist to be adhesive in all those operations in which such clay is employed. It is then carried to the top of the pug-mill and poured into the cylinder, falling upon radial. rotating blades, by which it is pugged and forced down through the cylinder, being thus brought into proper condition to be forced into the dies. It is to this preparation of the clay, preliminary to its being molded, that .my invention particularly relates. hen the clay is shoveled or otherwise elevated into the mouth of the puganill, being damp and adhesive, it is liable to gather on the flat upper surfaces of the blades and hang there, instead of being carried down through the cylinder, to be acted upon by the rotating blades.

My invention has for its object the prevention of this retardation, and thus increasing the efficient work of the pug-mill; and it consists in first forming the clay into balls and feeding it in this condition into the pug mill. The balls, instead of lodging on the blades, fall freely between them, and are thus exposed to their edges, and the clay is rapidly pugged and forced down through the cylinder. i

I have shown in the annexed drawing, in a single figure, a simple and yet efficient mechanism adapted to making the balls, and at the same time feeding them to the pug-mill. This consists simply "of a rapidly-rotating endless belt, to the lower end of which the moistened clay is supplied, and from the upper end of which it is thrown into the pug-mill.

As a mere elevator, there is nothing novel in this, having cleats across their face, and traveling at a speed of about fifteen feet per minute, for the purpose of elevating the clay to the mouth of the pugmill. .As the cleats give support to the clay on the belt, and its slow movement does not agitate the particles composing the mass, they will be carried up and delivered in the same condition in which they were received. I use a belt having no cleats or other irregularities upon its surface, and drive it so that, instead of the slow mo tion ordinarily imparted to it, it moves at a velocity of about four hundred and fifty feet per minute. The rapid movement of the belt and its inclination cause the clay to gather into irregular masses, which are carried up the belt and thrown from its upper end, with more or less force, into the pug-mill, where their form causes them to be more perfectly acted upon by the rotating blades than is the case where the clay is introduced into the mill in its usual condition.

In the annexed drawing, A is the frame of the ordinary claycrush er, which may or may not be used.

B B are spur-wheels actuating the rolls, and the latter at the same time drives a small pinion, B", on the shaft of pulley G, which, through the belt H, drives the small pulley l on the shaft of the drum at the upper end of 80 the endless belt 1), which should have a velocity of about four hundred and fifty feet per minute, and is arranged to elevate the clay and throw it into the mouth of the pugmill E.

F is a shield intended to arrest the lumps. of clay and prevent their being thrown over the mill.

The speed indicated I have found experimentally to work satisfactorily; but it will be understood that that precise speed is not essential, nor is my claim limited to the use of the machine shown, as other means of balling the clay can be readily devised.

, WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as an improvefor it is common to use endless bolts ment in. the art of working in clay in the As witness my hand in the presence-0f two manufacture of tile, &e., issubscribing witnesses.

1. The process of balling damp clay by easting it upon a rapidly-traveling plane surface, 7 JOHN S. SMITH. 5 by the action of which it is gathered into rounded masses, substantially as set forth. In presence of- 2, First balling and then pugging the moist JOHN G. MUNDY,

ened clay, substantially as set forth. J OSEPH H. COBB. 

